Posted: February 7th, 2024

The Banking Model of Education

The Banking Model of Education: A Critical Analysis

The banking model of education is a term coined by the Brazilian educator and philosopher Paulo Freire in his influential book Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970). Freire used this metaphor to describe a traditional approach to teaching and learning, in which the teacher is seen as the depositor of knowledge and the students are seen as passive receivers of information. In this model, the teacher transfers a fixed body of facts and concepts to the students, who are expected to memorize and reproduce them without questioning or challenging their validity or relevance. The banking model of education assumes that the students are empty vessels that need to be filled with the teacher's knowledge, and that the teacher is the only source of authority and truth in the classroom.

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Freire criticized the banking model of education for being oppressive, dehumanizing, and alienating. He argued that this model reinforces a hierarchical and authoritarian relationship between the teacher and the students, in which the students are denied their agency, creativity, and critical thinking skills. He also claimed that this model reproduces the dominant ideology and values of the society, which serve to maintain the status quo and prevent social change. Freire proposed an alternative model of education, based on dialogue, problem-posing, and praxis. In this model, the teacher and the students engage in a mutual process of learning, in which they co-create knowledge by exploring relevant issues and problems that affect their lives and communities. In this model, the teacher is not a transmitter of information, but a facilitator of dialogue and a co-learner with the students. The students are not passive recipients of knowledge, but active participants in their own education. The dialogue model of education aims to empower the students to become critical agents of change in their society.

The banking model of education has been widely criticized by various scholars and educators from different perspectives and disciplines. Some of the main critiques are:

- The banking model of education is based on a positivist view of knowledge, which assumes that there is a single, objective, and universal truth that can be discovered and transmitted by the teacher. This view ignores the complexity, diversity, and contextuality of knowledge, as well as the multiple ways of knowing and learning that different people and cultures have (Kincheloe 2008).
- The banking model of education is based on a behaviorist view of learning, which assumes that learning is a linear and mechanical process of stimulus-response, reinforcement, and repetition. This view neglects the cognitive, affective, social, and cultural dimensions of learning, as well as the individual differences, interests, motivations, and goals that learners have (Illeris 2009).
- The banking model of education is based on a transmission view of communication, which assumes that communication is a one-way process of sending and receiving messages. This view overlooks the interactive, dialogical, and interpretive nature of communication, as well as the power dynamics, conflicts, and negotiations that occur in any communicative situation (Freire 1970).
- The banking model of education is based on a banking view of culture, which assumes that culture is a fixed and homogeneous entity that can be deposited and transferred from one generation to another. This view disregards the dynamic, heterogeneous, and contested nature of culture, as well as the agency, resistance,
and creativity that people have in shaping their own cultures (Giroux 1988).

The banking model of education has been challenged by various alternative models and approaches to education that emphasize learner-centeredness, constructivism,
collaboration, inquiry, reflection, diversity,
democracy, social justice,
and transformation. Some examples are:

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- Critical pedagogy: A pedagogical movement that aims to challenge and transform oppressive structures and practices in education and society through critical reflection,
dialogue,
action,
and praxis (Freire 1970; McLaren 2007).
- Progressive education: A pedagogical movement that advocates for experiential,
hands-on,
project-based,
and democratic forms of education that foster learners' curiosity,
creativity,
autonomy,
and social responsibility (Dewey 1916; Kohn 2008).
- Montessori education: A pedagogical approach that supports learners' natural development,
individuality,
and freedom through self-directed,
sensorial,
and holistic activities in prepared environments (Montessori 1967; Lillard 2005).
- Reggio Emilia approach: A pedagogical approach that values learners' rights,
voices,
and potentials through collaborative,
expressive,
and contextualized projects in democratic communities (Malaguzzi 1993; Edwards et al. 2012).

The banking model of education is still prevalent in many educational systems and settings around the world. However,
it is also being challenged
and transformed by various educators,
learners,
and activists who are seeking more democratic,
humanizing,
and liberating forms
of education.

References

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Dewey, John. 1916. Democracy and Education. New York: Macmillan.

Edwards, Carolyn, Lella Gandini, and George Forman, eds. 2012. The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation. 3rd ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

Freire, Paulo. 1970. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Translated by Myra Bergman Ramos. New York: Continuum.

Giroux, Henry A. 1988. Teachers as Intellectuals: Toward a Critical Pedagogy of Learning. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.

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Illeris, Knud. 2009. Contemporary Theories of Learning: Learning Theorists...in Their Own Words. London: Routledge.

Kincheloe, Joe L. 2008. Knowledge and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction. Dordrecht: Springer.

Kohn, Alfie. 2008. Progressive Education: Why It's Hard to Beat, But Also Hard to Find. Independent School 67 (3): 18-30.

Lillard, Angeline Stoll. 2005. Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Malaguzzi, Loris. 1993. For an Education Based on Relationships. Young Children 49 (1): 9-12.

McLaren, Peter. 2007. Life in Schools: An Introduction to Critical Pedagogy in the Foundations of Education. 5th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Montessori, Maria. 1967. The Absorbent Mind. Translated by Claude A. Claremont.
New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

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